VANCEBURG — The Lewis County Health Department along with several other local organizations are teaming up for a Community Sweep on Oct. 20 at 10 a.m.
The Lewis County Health Department, Lewis County Sherriff’s office, Vanceburg Police Department, Fresh Start Health and Comprehend, Inc. are joining forces to clean up the streets of used syringes and such.
Used syringes can not only injure someone in the event they come into contact with one, but they are known to carry several serious health conditions. The most common preventable diseases that are spread through used syringes are Hepatitis B and C and HIV.
Alex Halsey, community health worker for the Lewis County Health Department has high hopes for the event. “Hopefully we can do this more regularly,” Halsey explained.
Halsey hopes that through this sweep, our health service members and law enforcement can work together to find out roughly how many drug users are in the area. With consistent sweeps, those in charge can help to gauge whether that number is increasing or decreasing over time.
Halsey says he and his coworkers at the Lewis County Health Department regularly wonder what the community needs and then try to find ways to fulfill that need.
In the event that you should come in contact with a used syringe the Department of Public Health and Wellness has suggestions on what to do and how to proceed.
The first thing you should do if you find a used sharp is to put on gloves or have some other sort of material between your skin and the item. If you have pliers or tongs available to you, use them to pick up the syringe so you don’t have to touch it at all.
Do not disconnect the needle from the syringe. Put the entire thing, needle down into your receptacle. It is also pertinent to mention not to throw sharps in the trash or toilet. Make sure to teach your children that should they see a needle, they are to immediately tell an adult and do not attempt to touch it.
Old laundry detergent bottles are the perfect receptacle for used sharps since they are typically made of thick plastic and have a screw-top lid. Make sure to clearly label the bottle with “DO NOT RECYCLE” and “SHARPS.”
It is also advised to tape over the cap with duct tape or a similar product. The receptacle can then be disposed of in your household trash or can be delivered to specified sharps disposal areas.
Should you find yourself accidently stuck with a used needle you must stop what you are doing immediately. If the area is bleeding, let it do so. Once the bleeding has ceased, wash the area with soap and water. Apply an antiseptic or bandage. Be sure to note the time of the injury, needle location and what it looked like.
Halsey made sure to mention that this event is not open to the public. It is merely to let the city of Vanceburg know that something is being done in the name of safety.